


Command and Generals

by Thalianix



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-05
Updated: 2018-10-10
Packaged: 2019-07-25 10:54:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16196105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thalianix/pseuds/Thalianix
Summary: This is the story of Adrien Victus and FemShep through the ME3 storyline and gameplay as well as shortly following the end of  ME3. The Adrien Victus depicted in this fanfic is based in part on Bioware's ME3 character and characterization found in my fanfic Fire on the Horizon.I hope you enjoy!





	1. Chapter 1

Adrien Victus stormed through the halls of the Turian Hierarchy and senate. Yet again he had been chastised for his so called unorthodox methods on the battlefield. This was getting tiresome. He kept men alive on that field. He did what was asked of him time and again. Yet, each an every time he was brought before a board or council of some kind to debate on his methods. Then, after telling him how wrong he was they would always call him back to fix their issues. 

He rounded the corner and pushed past a group of cadets. He finally made it to his destination. The door slid open and he stopped short in front of a well designed glass and stone columned desk. He smiled softly and politely at the young turian female sitting behind the thing. 

"I'm General Victus. I have an appointment to speak with Counselor Vakarian." 

The girl nodded and smiled at him. "One moment please General. The Counselor is in a meeting."

She stood and walked to the other door. She tapped and as the door opened he heard Garrus bellow.

"What part of killing everything, we aren't ready, and it is happening is going over your skull? I don't care who it was that heralded their arrival. Shepard, a foot soldier, or a damn scroll delivered by the spirits themselves. The fact is it's happening."

Adrien took in a breath and looked around the room. He, for one, believed they were coming. He didn't know what to expect, but for Vakarian to leave the military service and a job at C-Sec especially with his family lineage there had to be something to it. 

Within a few minutes the council members left the office and Garrus stepped out waiving Victus in. Victus walked into the room and gave it a glance. It was spacious, well decorated, and looked like everything perfect that Vakarian and himself were not. Garrus waived his hand for Adrien to take a seat. 

Garrus sat back in his chair and shook his head. He propped his feet up on the desk and sighed. "How can I help you General?"

Victus blinked and leaned back in the chair. He chuckled slightly. "General? Spirits Vakarian are we on that level now?"

Garrus laughed and shook his head. "No, sorry Adrien. I've been dealing with so much shit today. They want me to counsel but they don't want to accept the counsel they are given. It's infuriating. Food and supply lines won't help if the entire planet is wiped out."

Adrien nodded. "I know what you mean. I've been in and out of council meetings all week. I'm a great soldier, the best. They send me out to wipe their asses, fix their issues, and then when I come back victorious they haul me into a room to tell me how shitty I was at it. They talk about how my skills are wonderful but my methods are unorthodox. Then you know what they do? Call me back to fix the next screw up they've done."

Garrus began laughing and couldn't control it. The rolling chuckles that made his chest heave were now turning into full on laughter. 

"Laugh it up Vakarian." He shook his head as Garrus held his hand up waving him to wait a minute.

When he finally began to breathe again he shook his head. "Adrien we have known each other for over a decade. So, when I say this please take it for the compliment it is. You sound just like Shepard. You two could share a beer and frustrations over how shitty you both are at the wonderful job you do for everyone else."

"You keep mentioning this Shepard. Is there something going on there I should know about?" Adrien asked as he took out a pack of smokes and packed them.

Garrus smiled and laughed a little. "Um, no. I adore Jane. She is an amazing soldier. She is one of my dearest friends. Probably one of the few people left that I respect. That being said, that is where it ends."

"You're telling me you have never entertained the thought?"

Garrus leaned back and thought for a moment. "Adrien, you've never met her, but let me be clear. Everyone has entertained the thought. Hell even her pilot has considered it! But, that's it. I have my own interests and she is one of the few that knows about it and who."

Adrien nodded and considered his next statement carefully. "Well, perhaps when she is out of her lockdown we can all get together and you can introduce me to this remarkable friend of yours."

Garrus nodded. "We should. You would like her. Hell, she's a good time at least. You could use a good time."

Adrien rolled his eyes. "Here we go. Look my son is off with his own platoon. My wife has been gone for several years now and we were divorced for years before that. Just because I'm not out in the bars doesn't mean I'm not having a good time. I don't need a setup. Especially with a human female that has equally as hard times as I do with military boards."

Garrus was about to speak when there was a panicked scream from his secretary. Both men jumped up and Garrus made it to the door. Adrien turned quickly to look out a window when he saw running outside out of the corner of his eye. His gaze fell on an image on Garrus' desk. It was a photo taken at a gun range. Garrus, a woman covered in tattoos, a quarian, and a human female with long black hair pulled back in a loose braid. His eyes sat on her for a moment, on the curve of her face, and on the smile that ghosted over her lips. 

A large siren like moan was heard and Adriens eyes fell on the first of the reaper forces. Garrus ran in.

"Adrien!"

Adrien turned. No words were necessary. Within minutes the men were helping with transports, grabbing weapons, and heading to battle. As the doors on the shuttle closed and Garrus began working with other generals and soldiers, the image of that woman in the picture floated to his mind. He wondered if she was safe then shook of the silly notion of concern over an image.


	2. Responsibilities of a Primarch

The bunker Adrien was in on Manae was at peace for a bit. They had been under heavy fire for most of the day. At least Adrien thought it was daytime. It was hard to tell on the moon. He was sitting down with his back to one of the walls. The door flung open and Garrus came in. He slammed the door back and locked it making Adrien laugh.

"What?!?" Garrus looked at him as he moved to one of the viewing slits in the wall. 

Adrien kept laughing and finally spoke. "I was trying trying to figure out if this bunker suddenly turned into a bathhouse or if you were seriously locking out the reapers."

Garrus flipped him off and stood watching the horizon. He looked over at Adrien and finally began to relax a bit.

Adrien took out his smokes and crumpled the pack, tossing it against the wall. He had been out for days now. On the brightside it made him angrier so his aim was even better than before. He looked over to Garrus who was thumbing through something on his visor.

"Feeds from Palavan?" Adrien was happy to talk about anything that was not directly related to their here and now.

Garrus shook his head and sighed. "No. I'm trying to get a bead on where the migrant fleet is right now. Seeing if they have been hit."

Adrien glanced at him and smiled. "So, it's the quarian eh? Good to know. Have you heard anything from Earth?"

Garrus was just about to speak when the door to the bunker flew open. A young private stood in the doorway breathing heavily. He caught his breath and finally spoke. "Primarch was hit. Not sure if he made it. Getting attacked hard back at base. Alliance shuttle inbound with backup. Need you back."

He was still breathing harshly but at least was able to get the message across. Garrus and Adrien looked at each other and grabbed their rifles. They readied them to go in hot as soon as the door to the bunker opened.

"Shepard. That sly bitch. She made it. It has to be her." Garrus said laughing a bit at the thought. 

Adrien looked at him. "Wait?!? The Shepherd? What in the spirits would she be doing here?"

Garrus shrugged. "Not sure, but we should find out."

They nodded to the private to open the door. Just as it opened the three turians ran out and started firing. There were husks everywhere. It didn't take them long to join up with one of Adrien's teams.

"Vakarian! Get those things the hell off my men! I'll head to the camp!" 

Garrus could barely hear him as the fighting got worse. It took him about an hour to make it to the nearest camp. By the time he arrived Shepard was already there. They had a brief reunion and the fighting picked right back up. Within a few hours they were able to help the soldiers get communications back up and fight off some of the drops that were coming in. 

They informed Garrus and Shepard that with the high death count, it was now on Adrien Victus to be Primarch. Garrus blinked for a second. He barely heard Jane when she asked about the General's overall track record. 

Shepard finally resigned herself to it didn't matter what she had been handed in the General and his record. She had to deal with what she had and use the resources at her disposal. She asked Garrus to take her to Victus and he did. 

After a heavy firefight, there she stood in front of the the great General himself.

She looked up and saw a man in black and red armor walk down from a defensive area. He had his rifle in front of him as he walked towards her. She noticed the slight arrogance and overall confidence of the turian. 

"General Victus?" She said his name as she inclined her head to him. 

Adrien glanced for a split second at Garrus who was standing behind the woman. Garrus nodded once and Adrien holstered his rifle. "Yes."

"I'm Commander Shepard of the Normandy." She stood equally as confidant as the turian before her. 

"Commander, I know who you are. I can't wait to find out what brings you here." He stood watching her, assessing her. He was looking for a weakness. He wanted to see if this woman was everything Garrus had talked up.

Shepard locked eyes with him and felt her back straighten even more if that was possible.

"General, you're needed off planet. I've come to get you." She stood like a stone wall. 

To anyone else this would look like two soldiers talking. Garrus knew both of them well enough to see the spark between them. All they were missing was a science table and a chemistry set.

Adrien nodded and looked away at the fighting going on in the horizon. 

"It would take something beyond important for me to leave my men, or my turian brothers and sisters, in their fight."

Shepard sighed slightly. She knew this was going to be a tough sell. It turned out she didn't have to make it alone. Garrus spoke up over her right shoulder.

"Federon was killed. You're the new Primarch."

Shepard watched as the expression on Victus' face changed. If he could have fallen to his knees or at the least into a chair, he probably would have. She picked up where Garrus left off.

"You're needed immediately to chair a summit and represent your people in the fight against the reapers."

Victus shook his head and pushed past Shepard. He walked onto the battlefield in front of them and stared at his burning planet. His eyes scanning the different areas and blazes of oranges that once were cherished spots. He stared for a moment.

"I'm Primarch of Palaven? Negotiating for the turian hierarchy?" He was in a bit of disbelief. Partly the amount of people that had to have died before it got to him was staggering. 

Shepard simply responded in the affirmative. The turian turned around and stared at her for a moment.

"I've spent my whole life in the military. I'm no diplomat. I hate diplomats." His voice was stern. Shepard had to admit, she shared his disdain for diplomats and politics.

She took a deep breath. "War is your resume. At a time like this we need leaders who've been through hell."

He let out a sigh and what sounded like a small chuckle. "I like that. You're right."

A short time after that, Victus was saying goodbye to his men, leaving others in charge, and heading on the shuttle with Shepard, Garrus, and Vega.

As Victus headed to the bunker to get the few things he had, he stopped for a moment. A war was raging. His people were dying. He was Primarch. All of that going on and his first thought was of the amazing woman he had just seen and her determination to not take no for an answer. He chuckled and shook his head, not realizing that she was standing in the shuttle having the same thoughts about the General turned Primarch that took her breath away.


	3. Settling In

Shepard tasked Traynor with showing the Primarch to his quarters. Traynor gave him a small tour of the ship as they walked. Just enough so he knew where things were. She also showed him the communications area.

"You can contact anyone you need from this terminal. It is mostly private in the sense that it is not recorded unless you request the system to record. You can do that through voice command or through the terminal just there in the corner. The war room is just down these stairs and features a complete galaxy map."

Victus nodded through the tour. It wasn't that he didn't care, he just didn't have much of a response. What was he going to do? Yep, it's a war room. He kept following the young human until they arrived on the crew deck. He saw two sets of dorm areas for the crew. Just as he was about to ask which bunk to take, Traynor surprised him. She lead him down the hall and to a doorway he had no seen before. It opened to a hallway that did a horseshoe sort of design. The open crew deck area being the top of the shoe and two arms making the rest, one on the left and one he assumed on the right sense he could see the hallway from the hallway he was standing in. 

The hall he was in had a bank of clear wall on one wall, to his current right, and a bank of rooms on his left. The rooms seemed spaced fairly apart. She lead him down and pointed to a few of the rooms letting him know which crew members were there. Vakarian room was about three doors in. A few doors down was the room set aside for Victus. The door opened to a well sized room with one window facing out to space. There was a small sofa, two chairs, a coffee table, television, small kitchen area, and a bedroom and bathroom. It was all very nice and well equipped.

Traynor smiled at him and nodded. "Your armor lock is to your left and your weapons locker is next to it. Is there anything I can get for you Primarch?"

He looked around and nodded. "Turian coffee if you have it and access to stores on the Citadel if possible. I left so quickly and we were under such destruction, well I didn't grab everything I need."

Traynor nodded. "I'll have the coffee sent to you and will have your logins made for the Normandy ordering system. I'll leave for now Primarch."

She nodded and left the room. He sighed and shook his head. He knew the girl was doing her job, but he just wanted the down time right now. He tossed his bad onto the spacious bed and began to unpack. He was taking inventory of the items he needed when he heard a chime at the door. 

He walked to the door and hit the open key. The door slid open to reveal Jane standing there. She was in a casual uniform, clearly having had taken the time to shower after they returned. He could smell a soft scent on the air that smelled like a fruit scent he couldn't place exactly. 

"Commander. This is a surprise. Please come in. I was just unpacking." He turned his back as she walked in. He heard the door slide shut as he walked into the living room or sitting area of the cabin. He waived his hand and offered her a seat. 

She smiled and nodded. "Thank you. I came to make sure you were settling in okay."

He nodded and took out his smokes. He lit one and used a small ashtray that had been placed for him, he assumed specifically. 

"I'm settling in nicely. Well, it's been 3 whole minutes but they've been a nice three minutes. How are you?"

She watched him for a moment. She hadn't smoked since her days before the academy. She wasn't totally against it, but seeing someone so brazin as to just light up with no regard made her smirk. She liked his arrogance, liked his attitude, and loved his love it or shove it viewpoint. She found herself relaxing a bit and leaning back in the chair, legs crossed at the ankle, hands entwined on her belly.

"I'm… You know what? I could answer that two ways. Do you want the diplomatic response that a commander should give a guest on their ship or do you want the true response."

He shook his head and did what Shepard had grown to learn as being a smile for turians. 

"Neither. The first is bullshit. The second is just a mild form of bullshit. I want Jane's viewpoint of how she is. Not Shepard. Not Commander. Not the daughter of an Alliance officer. I want Jane's answer. The Jane that sits in her cotton pants and tank top, hair up in a loose ponytail, no fucks given answer."

Jane blinked. There were a million and five things that swam through her head at that response. "Fine. I feel like hell. I'm tired. I'm having nightmares every damn time I close my eyes. The only thing that helps is drinking or a sedative, neither of which can I use right now. I have everyone looking at me to handle this thing and bring one home for the team. The truth is, I want to say to hell with it because when I look in the mirror I see that girl in the cotton pants, tank top, no fucks given hair, and all I think is that little bitch is going to lose it all for us. So I bury her deeper and loose more of myself outside this uniform.."

He smiled at her and put out his smoke. Leaning back in the chair he stretched and yawned in a very unprofessional display of everything she had heard Victus was.

"See, that wasn't so hard was it? Now that you've opened up and let me see that side, don't put it away. I can't and won't work with someone or have a summit with someone that can't be brutally honest with me."

Sheppard let out a laugh and shook her head. "That's all you have to say to that?"

He nodded. "Of course. Come on. You didn't say anything a fellow soldier doesn't know. You feel like hell. Of course you do. If you side fine to the question of how are you then you are being polite or lying or both. You feel like hell because you are going through hell. You don't trust the person who hide from others. Well, no shit. None of us do. That's why we hide it from others. Nightmares? Here."

He stood up and walked to his bag. He took out a small device that Shepard had seen before. It was used by medics to inject one dose of med into a soldier on the field. He waved it at her from side to side.

"One shot a night at the start of the sleep cycle. Two shots if I go into a panic attack." He tossed it into his bag and walked back to the chair across from her. He took his seat as she smiled and shook her head.

"We have to do this summit Adrien. I have no idea what to expect. I need to know what to expect from you."

He nodded. "Tell me about Wrex. What is his driving force? From what I understand he was a battlemaster turned mercenary for hire. You found him and suddenly he turns and is on the throne as the head clan leader for Tuchanka and Clan Urdnot. Anything else I should know?"

She reached up tugging on her lip. It didn't go unnoticed. He watched her do it. He had a fleeting moment of thinking of tugging on that very lip. He blinked it away writing it off as it being too long without companionship. She finally spoke breaking his concentration, thank the spirits.

"He is a good man. His focus is on his people. He doesn't want more war. He wants a cure for the genophage. He wants to save what there is of his people. He doesn't want to continue the old wars. He knows that acceptance and moving forward is the best route."

He nodded. "Then you can expect respect from me. I'll listen to what he has to say. If we can work together we will. I'll help him save his people if he helps me save mine."

"And of Earth?" Shepard sat up with her elbows on her knees looking at him. 

"Earth will have our support. As promised."

She nodded and stood. "Thank you Primarch. I need to go now."

She turned and he found himself wanting her to stay longer. He was enjoying the conversation. "Shepard please, stay. I was about to have dinner. I'd enjoy the company."

She smiled at him. She actually felt herself blush. "I, well, I know how things look in turian society. I don't want to put a married man in a bad position."

"That's admirable of you Shepard. It would also be very touching if I were married. I've been divorced for a number of years and my ex died over 8 years ago. There is no one so, i'm single as it were."

He looked at her waiting for a response. He had to admire that she was aware of his culture. SHe looked at his neck and noticed she didn't see a bondmark. It instead was smooth skin. 

He had walked to her and noticed that she was looking at his neck. He smiled. "They use a special chemical that smooths out the skin."

He reached up and touched her neck lightly sending shivers up and down her body that she managed to somehow hide.

"They place it in a salve along the mark and within minutes they wipe it off leaving behind a shined smooth surface."

She smiled and spoke softly as he moved away. Her fingers trailed to her neck where he had touched. She quickly moved her hand down when he turned. She didn't catch the smirk on his face from seeing her touching her neck.

"Garrus told me that turians mated for life and that once bonded it couldn't be removed."

Adrien rolled his eyes. "Garrus said that because his family stayed together. Let him have one good fight with his future mate and he will realize that hey….chemicals may not be a bad thing."

She laughed along with him. "Okay, Adrien. I'll stay for dinner. On one condition."

He looked up at her from the kitchen area of the cabin. "And that would be?"

"No war talk. Just talk. Friends."

He nodded. "You asked for it." He said as he tossed her a beer and headed to the sitting area.

Five hours later Shepard made her way back to her cabin. Her sides hurting from laughter and her tension virtually gone. She passed out on her bed and slept soundly for the first time in weeks.


	4. Midnight Meetings

Shepard was sitting in the mess hall with a cup of coffee that had gone cold and been reheated twice. She was deep in thought over her data pad. She hadn't noticed that it was around 2 in the morning according to the ships time cycle. She also hadn't noticed that there were no more crew members in the area. Most of them had gone to bed while others were working a night shift in various areas of the ship. 

Victus couldn't sleep and had made his way from his cabin to the mess area. It was something he found himself doing whenever he was on a ship. Especially for the first few nights. He wandered down to the area with the intent to go to the main battery and speak to Garrus if he was awake, which he was sure he was. He didn't expect to see Shepard sitting so casually in the mess. He debated on not bothering her, but decided to hell with it.

He walked by her and went to the kitchen area to pour some hot water for the instant coffee he had in his cup. He turned and smiled at her as he began stirring the mix into what would pass for coffee. He moved to the table and sat across from Shepard. She looked up and tossed her data pad down in front of her with a heavy sigh.

"Problems?" Adrien said as he smirked into his coffee and pulled a second chair over to prop his feet on. 

"Oh laugh it up Primarch." She shook her head and laughed a little herself. Standing she moved over to get a fresh cup of coffee. She sat back down at the table and pushed the data pad over to him.

He took it and swiped a finger over it. He sat up straight and looked at it.

"Shepard does this say what I think it does?" She knew the question was rhetorical, but she answered anyway.

"The salarian dalatrass, Wrex, you, and myself. I have no idea what I'm going to do. I have no idea what to expect or where to start. I know what Earth needs. I know what you need. I have no idea what Wrex or the salarians are going to ask for. The reapers haven't reached them yet, so their requests could be substatal if we want them in the fight right now."

He nodded and sat back, putting the data pad down. "My suggestion? If you want it that is. I don't want to presume."

She shook her head. "It's either you give me your advice or I go ask Garrus. You two are the only ones I would trust with any of this."

He nodded and sat back taking his relaxed position again. "As the Primarch I would say to give them both whatever they ask within reason. Worry about the fallout after the war is over. It's a win win. You get what you need and if we don't win the war there is nothing to worry about. You got what you needed. If we do win the war, and there is an issue, we will be mobilized enough to handle it."

She nodded. As barbaric as it sounded, it made sense to her. She didn't want to go that route, but if the demands were heavy, she wasn't sure she would have a choice.

"And your advice as a soldier?" She assumed that was his next viewpoint. She was right.

"My viewpoint as a soldier? The same. The only difference is to assess them and their motives. You've already told me about Wrex. What do you know of the dalatrass?"

Shepard shook her head. "Next to nothing. That the salarian people are at the top of her concerns. The krogan are just above dirt to them. They are little more than animals. As far as humanity and turians are concerned, we are both necessary evils to them. Salarian are first."

He nodded. "I have one last viewpoint. The viewpoint as a friend."

Shepard blinked and looked at him. "Please."

"Go with your gut. Be prepared for anything, but go with your gut. Think of it as a battle. You go into battle with no knowledge of what you are walking into. You go with your gut. It has served you will so far. You are intelligent, skilled, and you have your wits about you. Use yourself as your best tool."

He drained the coffee cup and sat it back down looking at her. She looked stunned.

He chuckled. "Sorry, too much?"

She shook her head and laughed. He thought he detected a blush. "No, just unexpected. I have friends sure. I have Garrus and Liara. Tali and Miranda. Jeff of course. But, not many of them talk to me so bluntly or kindly. Garrus would leave it with a you go this sort of attitude. Liara would try to get video feeds. Tali would keep talking it out until I wanted to scream. It's just, you didn't do that. Thank you."

He smiled and nodded at her. "Anytime Shepard."

She stood up and went towards the elevator. "Adrien? Thank you again. Truly."

He nodded. Before he could stop himself the turian in him came out full blown. There was an aspect to his people that allowed them to say whatever was on their mind, sometimes it was taken wrong by humans. He didn't caution himself this time. 

"You're welcome Shepard. And Shepard?" He stood up to go back to his cabin.

Shepard turned and looked at him with a look that told him to continue. 

"Your hair down like that? You should do that more often."

He didn't say another word. He just smiled and headed back to his cabin as if he had told her what the weather or was or that her uniform was on correctly. She blinked and stood at the elevator door. The door to the remaining crew quarters closed behind him and she found herself touching her own hair and whispering a small "Thank you."


End file.
